A soldier assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division died Saturday from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident while on patrol in Wahida, Iraq, the Defense Department announced late Monday.

Pfc. Jamel A. Bryant, 22, of Belleville, Ill., served with the 40th Engineers Battalion.

Bryant’s death is the third casualty to hit the battalion since it deployed with the Iron Brigade in April.

A memorial service, which is still being planned, will be held at Baumholder’s Chapel One.

Bryant, who attended Belleville West High School, was one of eight siblings, according to the St. Louis Post- Dispatch. His younger brother, Terrance Smith, told the paper Jamel was proud to serve in the Army.

"He felt like he had to pay back the country," Smith said.

The military said the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

This is the second casualty for the Baumholder in less than a week. First Lt. Thomas J. Brown, who served with 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, was killed by small-arms fire Sept. 23 while leading his soldiers on a foot patrol in Salman Pak, Iraq. A memorial service for Brown will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Chapel One.

Bryant is the seventh Iron Brigade soldier to be killed in Iraq since the unit deployed. Five of the previous casualties were during combat operations, while one death occurred during a non-combat situation.